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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bass · saw · plane · fine · prune · can · march · stem

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. plane — a tool
  3. fine — high quality
  4. saw — the tool
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. march — the month
  7. march — music
  8. march — the month
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. saw — the tool
  11. can — a tin
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. fine — all right
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. prune — to trim
  18. can — a tin
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bass — the fish
  23. can — to be able to
  24. stem — to come from

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com